Simulated Training Ammunition Automatic Launching System

ABSTRACT

The invention provides a simulated training ammunition automatic launching system. It can mimic the effect of explosive detonation in close quarters battles without causing any casualties, and can ignite the fuze and launch the practice bomb without gunpowder involved. The technical proposal of the invention is that: the simulated training ammunition automatic launching system comprises launchers, controls, simulated training ammunition. Simulated training ammunition comprises shells, bomb cores and fuze. The cylinder sidewall is equipped with air inlet ports which connect the cylinder cavity and the launcher cavity. The lower part of the cylinder is connected to a high pressure gas holder by a windpipe and a normally closed electrical magnetic valve. The invention can automatically recognize the targets, fire and detonate ammunition. It uses no gunpowder, gives no security risks, and is safe, reliable, and easy to operate. It is suitable for mass civilian production.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a simulated combat training system, and is especially one simulated training ammunition automatic launching system. It is used for the simulated combat training for troops and police soldiers. It fires simulated training ammunition at the trainees.

Description of the Related Art

Currently, military training includes close combat, which is taking place within several meters to tens of meters, also known as Close Quarters Battle or CQB. In CQB, weapons and ammunition such as mortars and rifle grenades, causing damages mainly in the form of shrapnel produced from the explosion, are heavily used. In order to simulate a more truthful battlefield during the training, transmitters with a launch tube will be used. For example, firing practice bombs that have no explosive in the warheads with mortars and grenade launchers. In devices above, gunpowder is burnt in the launchers, so that the warheads can be fired by the bore pressure. Gunpowder is disposable and expensive. It does harm to the environment and is a safety risk to surrounding people. And because of the fact that practice bombs have no explosive in the warheads, there will be no explosion effect. Therefore immersing soldiers in the sights, and sounds of real combats can be hard. Furthermore, in the live ammunition training, enemies fire practice bombs at the trainees, and the latter responds with live ammunition. To reduce injuries, frontal attack is not allowed, which makes the training inauthentic. As a result, it is normal to plant explosives in advance, set off them to mimic the effect of bomb blasts. But the explosion is a potential safety hazard to personnel, possession and environment, and the cost of security measures remains high. And explosives must be planted by professionals. It takes plenty of manpower, material and financial resources to put detonating cables between live fire training area and safely operation region, and set up warning marks of explosion sites and blast radius, and so on. Trainees will prepare mentally and even take evasive action or walk around on the sight of the warning marks, which makes the training lack of suddenness and unpredictability. The ignition of the explosives must be monitored and operated by the professionals on the scene. It is difficult to have a synergistic control when the training field is crowded with numerous personnel, vehicles, arms, ammunition and miscellaneous equipment. Besides, products with gunpowder, for security reasons, find difficulties in large scaled production.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The aim of this invention is to provide a simulated training ammunition automatic launching system. It can mimic the effect of explosive detonation in close quarters battles without causing any casualties. Also, it can automatically recognize the targets, fire and detonate ammunition without gunpowder involved.

The technical proposal of the invention is that: simulated training ammunition automatic launching system comprises launchers, controls, simulated training ammunition. Simulated training ammunition comprises shells, bomb cores and fuze.

Technical Point:

The launcher is provided with a ring support platform to support the practice bomb, and below that is a cavity with a piston cylinder inside. There is a punch on the top of the piston for contacting the fuse. The cylinder sidewall is equipped with air inlet ports which connect the cylinder cavity and the launcher cavity. A sealed end is set in the low part of the piston. By the reciprocating motion, the sealed end moves to the position lower than the air inlet ports to isolate the cylinder cavity with the launcher cavity; and it moves to the position higher than the air inlet ports to connect the cylinder cavity with the launcher cavity. The lower part of the cylinder is connected to a high pressure gas holder by a windpipe and a normally closed electrical magnetic valve.

The launcher control device comprises a computer which connects to a video camera. The computer connects to a normally closed electrical magnetic valve by SCM. It receives video data from the camera, and identify the target images by comparing with the reference images which are stored in advance. And it sends instructions to SCM through the control port to control the electrical magnetic valve. The camera is in the same direction with the launcher. The target image is the pattern recognition.

The shell of the practice bomb is made of thin-walled plastic bottles. The bomb core comprises a sealed high pressure gas bottle with a sleeve. Dispersed powder is filled between the shell and the sleeve. The fuze has a fuze cap that seals and connects to the shell. The medial surface of the open end of the fuze cap has a ring-step with internal threads on it. The fuze has a non-sealing thread connection with the bomb core sleeve. A tip cone with a base, using for penetrating the sealed high pressure gas bottle, is arranged on the bottom of the fuze cap. The end cover of the fuze cap presses on the trough external port of the fuze cap through the reset spring. The base of the tip cone connects the end cover of the fuze cap through bolts, and it presses at the bottom of the medial of the fuze cap. The tip of the tip cone is near the head of the sealed high pressure gas bottle. The fuze cap outside diameter is less than the ring support platform diameter of the launcher. There is a bulletproof box outside the launcher and the launcher control device. And there is a periscope correspondingly arranged near the camera. Air inlet ports are several through-holes on the same circumference near the top part of the cylinder. Piston seal end is the shape of a cylinder. And its axial thickness is less than the distance between the air inlet ports and the the top of the cylinder. The periscope above has a, upper part and lower part, two sections structure. The objective lens is in the upper part, and the ocular lens is in the lower part. The bulletproof box has a bulletproof steel behind the objective lens of the periscope.

The Invention Has the Advantages:

The invention adopts a fuze that is triggered by a cylinder catapult-launching gears. The practice bombs are launched by high pressure gas, by which pushes the piston punch cleverly to impact the fuze cap. By controlling the piston sealed end, it can connect or disconnect the air inlet ports to launch the practice bomb without gunpowder. Thus avoiding the risk of detonating gunpowder in the launcher. Practice bombs are launched by kinetic energy of the cylinder. Gunpowder is disposable and expensive. It does harm to the environment. On the contrary, elastomer components can be used safely, repeatedly, and expediently, and they are maintenance-free and cheap. The practice bomb uses a sealed high pressure gas bottle as a bomb core. The bomb fuze is impacted to puncture the head of the sealed high pressure gas bottle. Then the compressed gas leaks from the non-sealing thread of the ring-step's in-wall, and fills the inter-layer of the bomb shell.

The thin-walled plastic bottle fails to bear the air pressure and explodes with an explosive sound. In the mean time, powder that is filled between the shell and the sleeve is released as smoke.

The structure is a safe bomb without gunpowder and explosion fragments. It is safe for personnel and property, and uses no expensive and dangerous gunpowder, and also protects the environment. This invention solves the problem that fuze relies heavily on gunpowder. And it can both activate the fuse and launch bomb by a single launch. The launcher control device collects and identifies the target image by a camera and a computer. The invention combines optical observation and computer vision technology. It can automatically search and identify the target and launch the bombs by identifying the pattern recognition. Due to the cancel of the field control or remote control, manpower is saved and auto-run without people can be achieved. The invention can be placed anywhere in the training area without any security risks.

Above all, this invention can automatically identify the trainees, launch practice bombs, and mimic explosion effects. It uses no gunpowder, gives no security risks, and is safe, reliable, and easy to operate.

It is suitable for mass civilian production.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing of readiness state of the launcher.

FIG. 3 is a schematic drawing of the launcher filled with gas.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the launcher control device.

FIG. 5 is a schematic drawing of the practice bomb.

Meaning of serial number:1 launcher 2 camera 3 periscope 4 computer 5 bullet proof box 6 normally closed electrical magnetic valve 7 high pressure gas holder 8 ring support platform 9 piston 9-1 punch 9-2 sealed end 10 cylinder 11 cylinder cavity 12 fuze 13 high pressure gas 14 windpipe 16 air inlet port 17 launcher cavity 18 practice bomb 19 bomb shell 20 powder 21 bomb core sleeve 22 sealed high pressure gas bottle 23 fuze cap 24 ring-step 25 tip cone 2-1 tip of the tip cone 26 bottom with through-holes 27 reset spring 28 end cover 29 bolt

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Detailed description of the invention shown in FIG. 1-5. The embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is a simulated training ammunition automatic launching system. It includes the launcher 1 used for reloading the practice bomb and installing the launcher control device. The launcher control device includes a computer 4 used for identify images and a camera 2. The computer 4 also connects with the normally closed electrical magnetic valve 6 through the SCM. The launcher control device can be powered by batteries. The bullet proof box 5 is set outside the launcher 1 and the launcher control device. The bullet proof box is made of armor plate. It is covered with elastic material that preventing from ricocheted bullets causing damage to internal components. Camera shooting direction is the same as that of the launcher. There is a periscope correspondingly arranged near the camera to have a better view and to avoid damage. The objective lens of the periscope is arranged at the shooting position of the bullet proof box 5. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a ring support platform 8 supporting the shell of the practice bomb 18 is positioned in the launcher 1. FIG. 2 is the readiness state of the launcher. The ring support platform holds the bottom of the practice bomb. A piston cylinder is positioned in the launcher cavity under the ring support platform. A punch 9-1 is set at the upper end of the piston 9. It is used to impact the fuze of the practice bomb 12. A sealed end 9-2 is set at the bottom of the piston. It can slide near the inner wall of the piston. Air inlet ports 16 connecting the cylinder cavity 11 and the launcher cavity 17 are arranged on the sidewall of the piston. By the reciprocating motion, the sealed end 9-2 moves to the position lower than the air inlet ports 16 to isolate the cylinder cavity with the launcher cavity; And it moves to the position higher than the air inlet ports to connect the cylinder cavity with the launcher cavity. The lower part of the cylinder is connected to a high pressure gas holder 13 by a windpipe 14 and a normally closed electrical magnetic valve 6. FIG. 3 is a schematic drawing of the launcher filled with gas. The piston 9 slides to the top of the cylinder 10 by the thrust of the high pressure gas, when the gas 13 enters the cylinder 10. The sealed end that has past the air inlet ports is blocked in the cylinder. The punch goes up and impacts the fuze cap of the practice bomb to launch. Air inlet ports are several through-holes on the same circumference near the top part of the cylinder. Piston seal end is the shape of a cylinder. And its axial thickness a is less than the distance b between the air inlet ports and the the top of the cylinder. As shown in FIG. 4, the launcher control device comprises a computer which connects to a video camera. The computer connects to a normally closed electrical magnetic valve by SCM. It receives video data from the camera, and identify the target images by comparing with the reference images which are stored in advance. And it sends instructions to SCM through the control port to control the electrical magnetic valve. In order to improve the recognition speed and accuracy, 120-frames-per-second camera is used. In order to avoid perspective distortion, normal lens instead of wide-angle lens or telephoto lens is used. Image recognition technology of the computer has already had the ability to identify faces, licence plates and words. A micro-computer or a laptop with the image recognition system, such as OPENCV (Open Computer Vision), can play the role as a computer in this system. The pattern recognition of the target image can be a particular geometry or color. Image feature data of the target image is stored in the image recognition system in advance. Graphical labels, for example, can be 4 triangular signs (15 cm by 15 cm). Graphical labels are pinned on the trainees' chest, back, and both side of their trunks. The video data from the camera is transferred to a computer. And the image recognition system reads each frame and compares with the reference images which are stored in advance. When the trainees with the labeled clothes show up in front of the camera, the pattern recognition will be recognized, and the trainees will be identified as the targets. And then the computer will send a command to the SCM, and the SCM will control the electrical magnetic valve.

The image recognition system can identify the the pattern recognition from the real-time images, which means can identify the target. And it can identify if there is a pattern recognition in front of the camera. There is no need to know the position, track, or speed of the pattern recognition. And there is no need to follow it. In the mean time, things in the FOV (field of view) of the camera can be selected manually. The launcher will not be triggered except by the pattern recognition. The periscope has a two-section structure which is connected by a source nipple. Pointing the camera to the ocular lens of the periscope, and the objective lens is arranged at the shooting position of the launcher. The bullet proof box has a cover that opens upwards. And the objective lens of the periscope is arranged at the shoot spot of the camera. The launcher muzzle is arranged at the launch port of the bullet proof box. And a vertical armor plate can be set behind the ocular lens, which is welded on the lower surface of the cover of the bullet proof box. The launch port, which is made of steel, can not be damaged during the live fire training. The vertical armor plate behind the ocular lens protects the internal structure of the launch system, when the objective lens is hit. If it happens, replacing a new objective lens will do, which is convenient and cheap. The expensive camera can avoid to be damaged by the the live fire. It reduces operation and maintenance costs, and can be repaired quickly, thereby safeguarding the performance and stable continuity of realistic military training. The bullet proof box is also a suitcase that has a storage battery inside. It enables the invention to be placed anywhere independently.

As shown in FIG. 5, the shell of the practice bomb 19 is made of thin-walled plastic bottles.

The thin-walled plastic bottle fails to bear the air pressure and explodes. The bomb core comprises a sealed high pressure gas bottle 22 with a sleeve 21. The high pressure gas includes one or more of air, CO2, and N2. Dispersed powder is filled between the shell and the sleeve. It includes one or more of carbon powder, pulverized coal, and talcum powder. Powder that is filled between the shell and the sleeve is released as smoke when the shell is exploded. The fuze includes a fuze cap 23 on the bottom of the shell. The fuze cap has a sealing connection with the opening on the bottom of the bomb shell through the internal thread on the inside opening. The outside diameter of the fuze cap is less than outer diameter of the shell. The medial surface of the open end of the fuze cap has a ring-step 24 with internal threads 24-1 on it. The internal threads can adopt a non-sealed pipe thread, which has a non-sealing thread connection with the bomb core sleeve. The gap of the threaded connection will be used for releasing the high pressure gas, which enters in the inter-layer of the bomb shell and the sleeve. A tip cone with a base 25, using for penetrating the sealed high pressure gas bottle, is arranged on the bottom of the fuze cap 23. The end cover of the fuze cap 28 presses on the trough external port of the fuze cap through the reset spring 27. The base of the tip cone connects the end cover of the fuze cap through bolts 29, and it presses at the bottom 26 of the medial of the fuze cap by a sealing gasket 25. The tip of the tip cone 25-1 is near the head 22-1 of the sealed high pressure gas bottle. In use, the release and expansion of the high pressure gas is the delayed-action of the explosion. The delay time can be adjusted by controlling the volume of the powder filled between the shell and the sleeve. Normally, the delay time is set more than 2 seconds to allow more time for the bomb to fly. The volume of the high pressure gas expands sharply at normal pressure. And then the bomb shell will explode because of the the inside-out pressure.

Work Process of the Launcher:

The computer controls the SCM to open the electrical magnetic valve at the outlet of the high pressure gas holder when the target is identified. The high pressure gas moves the piston upwards when injecting into the cylinder. The punch impacts the fuze cap to ignite the fuze. The piston seal end isolates the channel between the high pressure gas and the air inlet ports, when it is during the first half of its going upwards. The sealed end that has past the air inlet ports is blocked in the cylinder when the piston hits the end of stroke. The punch goes up and impacts the fuze cap of the practice bomb. And then the high pressure gas can be injected into the launcher cavity from the air inlet ports. The erupting high pressure gas launches the bomb, whose fuze has been ignited, to the target. At this point, the fuze cap end retracts in the fuze cap, and push the the tip of the tip cone to penetrate the sealed high pressure gas bottle. After the force of percussion, the tip cone goes back by the push of the reset spring. And the high pressure gas leaks from the holes penetrated by the tip cone, filling the inter-layer of the bomb shell and the sleeve. The bomb shell fails to bear the air pressure and explodes with an explosive sound. In the mean time, powder that is filled between the shell and the sleeve is released as smoke to simulate a more truthful battlefield. In order to have a running fire, multiple launchers can be connected with a launch control device, or a reloading device can be arranged on the launcher.

By programming the SCM, the opening time of the normally closed electrical magnetic valve can be minimized less than 1 second. The valve closes after the launch. The pressure in the cylinder returns to normal after the high pressure gas is blocked. The piston goes by to its original position by gravity.

In conclusion, the purpose of the invention is realized. 

I claim:
 1. A simulated training ammunition automatic launching system comprises launchers, controls, simulated training ammunition. Simulated training ammunition comprises shells, bomb cores and fuze. It is characterized in: The launcher is provided with a ring support platform to support the practice bomb, and below that is a cavity with a piston cylinder inside. There is a punch on the top of the piston for contacting the fuse. The cylinder sidewall is equipped with air inlet ports which connect the cylinder cavity and the launcher cavity. A sealed end is set in the low part of the piston. By the reciprocating motion, the sealed end moves to the position lower than the air inlet ports to isolate the cylinder cavity with the launcher cavity; and it moves to the position higher than the air inlet ports to connect the cylinder cavity with the launcher cavity. The lower part of the cylinder is connected to a high pressure gas holder by a windpipe and a normally closed electrical magnetic valve. The launcher control device comprises a computer which connects to a video camera. The computer connects to a normally closed electrical magnetic valve by SCM. It receives video data from the camera, and identify the target images by comparing with the reference images which are stored in advance. And it sends instructions to SCM through the control port to control the electrical magnetic valve. The camera is in the same direction with the launcher. The target image is the pattern recognition. The shell of the practice bomb is made of thin-walled plastic bottles. The bomb core comprises a sealed high pressure gas bottle with a sleeve. Dispersed powder is filled between the shell and the sleeve. The fuze has a fuze cap that seals and connects to the shell. The medial surface of the open end of the fuze cap has a ring-step with internal threads on it. The fuze has a non-sealing thread connection with the bomb core sleeve. A tip cone with a base, using for penetrating the sealed high pressure gas bottle, is arranged on the bottom of the fuze cap. The end cover of the fuze cap presses on the trough external port of the fuze cap through the reset spring. The base of the tip cone connects the end cover of the fuze cap through bolts, and it presses at the bottom of the medial of the fuze cap. The tip of the tip cone is near the head of the sealed high pressure gas bottle. The fuze cap outside diameter is less than the ring support platform diameter of the launcher.
 2. According to claim 1, the simulated training ammunition automatic launching system is characterized in that there is a bulletproof box outside the launcher and the launcher control device. And there is a periscope correspondingly arranged near the camera.
 3. According to claim 2, the simulated training ammunition automatic launching system is characterized that the periscope above has a, upper part and lower part, two sections structure. And the objective lens is in the upper part, and the ocular lens is in the lower part.
 4. According to claim 3, the simulated training ammunition automatic launching system is characterized that the bulletproof box has a bulletproof steel behind the objective lens of the periscope.
 5. According to claim 1, the simulated training ammunition automatic launching system is characterized that the air inlet ports are several through-holes on the same circumference near the top part of the cylinder. And the piston seal end is the shape of a cylinder. And its axial thickness is less than the distance between the air inlet ports and the the top of the cylinder. 